This invention relates to containers for holding articles, especially medical dressings and utensils, which is adapted when opened to be used also as a sterile working surface for the articles.
When nurses are required to tend a patient, often they will require articles such as dressings and medicaments for the patient. In addition any implements used during treatment must be kept sterile and must not come into contact with sterile surfaces.it is convenient to provide the dressings, medicaments and any implements in a sterile wrapping for use by the nurse, and conventionally such sterile wrappings have been in the form of a paper wrapping around the articles. In use the paper can be unwrapped and laid out on a surface in order to provide a sterile covering for, or a xe2x80x9csterile fieldxe2x80x9d on, the work surface. The articles can be laid out on the paper surface or sterile field for use. There are disadvantages in such a wrapping, such as that the articles are not very secure on the surface and the paper is an extra item that needs to be disposed of. In addition, the paper surface or other sterile field may not lie satisfactorily flat and the user is tempted to smooth the surface by hand. In doing so there is a risk that they do not use gloves and so contaminate the sterile field.
The invention provides a closable container adapted, when opened, to form a multi part tray comprising at least 3 tray elements connected together, characterised in that each such tray element has points of support for its base (in relation to the surface on which the tray is placed) which are substantially co-planar with the points of support of the other such tray elements. In this context points of support for the base may be generally the lower surface of the base or specific protrusions adapted for supporting the base, both as described below.
In a preferred aspect, the invention provides a container which is suitable for use as a clean, preferably sterile, surface on which to work and to use the contents of the container, in particular to provide a sterile field for use with medical dressings and the like.
In a further preferred aspect, the invention provides such a container which is disposable. In particular, following use of medical dressings or the like the user will wish to dispose of the dressings and other items used in the treatment. It is desirable to provide a container for these which can conveniently be disposed of, and which is sufficiently cheap that disposal is commercially sensible. Accordingly the invention further provides disposable such containers.
By disposable in this context is meant an article which is not intended for continued repeated use. In practice it may be adapted for only single use. Accordingly, as hereinafter described it is convenient to make such articles as integral plastic mouldings. In choosing a suitable moulding materials. weights and dimensions, it is an advantage that such articles may be relatively non-durable (whilst being sufficiently strong to maintain integrity of the container in limited use), as distinct from what would be required for repeated use. For example, a lighter article means that less material is used in the article and its disposal is less costly in material terms. For example, articles in accordance with the invention have been made with weights in the range up to 150 gm. preferably up to 100 gm, particularly in the range 50 to 80 gm.
Preferably the container is adapted so that the tray elements form the enclosure of the container. When closed the container can provide one or more enclosures within the container for holding the thing(s) to be contend.
When fully opened the tray can be placed on a flat supporting surface and each of the tray elements will have points of contact with the supporting surface so that that tray element is reasonably secure. When such tray element has supporting contact with the supporting surface it may be used for working on and the risk that the whole tray will be distorted by such working, and accordingly that the contents of the tray may be upset, is reduced.
Preferably the tray elements are connected together by hinges between adjacent tray elements.
The hinge means may be provided along the whole of the length of the adjacent edges of two adjacent tray elements, or along parts of it. For example the hinge means may comprise a section of flexible plastics material linking the two adjacent tray elements together. The section of plastics material may be moulded or scored in a manner to provide a preferential hinge line or more than one preferential hinge line. For example the area of the hinge line may be weakened by scoring; or the adjacent plastics material may be strengthened in some manner, for example by ribbing; or a rib may be provided along the hinge line to encourage bending in the region of that rib. Such hinges may be in the form of living hinges of known type
Conveniently the hinge means may also be adapted to ensure that two adjacent tray elements, when folded together, lie substantially over one another and, when opened, have their points of support for their respective bases substantially co-planar. The hinge means may comprise a spacer element to space the hinge line(s) from one or both adjacent tray elements, and/or may have more than one preferential hinge line about which the adjacent tray elements may be folded. For example, the hinge element may conveniently comprise a flexible plastics material section joining the adjacent tray elements and having two substantially parallel hinge lines spaced apart by a spacing element, such that the hinge element is articulated. The hinge element may conveniently have a dog-leg or step in it to assist in alignment of the parts when in the open and closed positions.
Preferably, the hinge element is adapted such that it adopts at least one stable open position such that the support points for the bases of adjacent tray elements are substantially co-planar. This may be achieved by the moulding process, for example, the hinge element may retain a xe2x80x9cmemoryxe2x80x9d of the desired open position, or by other means such as, for example, a butterfly type hinge of the type known from, for example, flip top bottle caps.
The tray elements are preferably in the form of a base surrounded by generally upstanding side walls. Usually, the base will be generally flat, but may have moulded components as described below. On the lower surface of the base (the underside of the tray element), there will be provided xe2x80x9cbase support pointsxe2x80x9d. Usually the xe2x80x9cbase support pointsxe2x80x9d will be the lower (under) surface of the tray element itself. In this case there is less risk that the tray element will itself distort when pressure is applied to the surface. However, they may be provided by, for example, protrusions from the surface which may form feet to support the base of the tray element. This may be desirable where the surface on which the container is likely to be opened is not itself a smooth surface.
Some or all of the tray elements may be provided with further flange sections extending from the surrounding side walls in order to facilitate the formation of a closed container, or adapted to locate adjacent tray elements so that their base support points lie substantially on this same plane. For example, such flanges may be provided on one tray element such that they engage the upstanding side walls on the adjacent tray element, when that element is folded over to cover the first tray element. In one embodiment the flanges are in the form of continuous extension of the existing side walls of the tray element, but are folded outwards and downwards so as to form a skirt encompassing the tops of the side walls of the tray element, the outer surface of the skirt being complementary in profile to the inner surface of the side walls of the adjacent tray element so that, when the adjacent tray element is folded over, it mates onto the skirt section.
The tray elements preferably each have a generally tray shaped form, and may be in the form of plain tray elements comprising only a base and surrounding side walls. Conveniently, they may also have moulded internal components such as moulded sections for holding specific articles to be enclosed within the container. For example there may be recesses shaped to secure bottles or other fluid containers. Alternatively, or in addition, the trays may be provided with inserts which are adapted to secure or hold articles within the container or tray. Conveniently, the tray elements are of broadly rectangular shape, and preferably each of such tray elements is of substantially the same dimensions when viewed in plan.
In one preferred embodiment at least two of the tray elements, for example, the two end tray elements in a linear arrangement, have substantially planar base surfaces so that they can be used as working surfaces in part of a sterile field.
Conveniently, the container will be of a size which is convenient to carry in a single hand without a handle, so that it can be carried by the user while carrying out other activities, and so that it is easy to manipulate.
Suitable planar dimensions for tray elements in container according to the present invention are from 8 cm to 20 cm wide and 15 cm to 30 cm long, preferably 12 cm to 16 cm wide and 20 cm to 25 cm long, for example planar dimensions of about 13 cm by 22 cm have been found to be useful.
Preferably such a container will also be lightweight, so that it is easy to manipulate, in contrast to cases sometimes used for medical implements which are intended to be robust and durable and to provide longterm protection for their contents. Examples of weights of containers which have been made in accordance with the invention are referred to above.
Conveniently one or more tray elements may have a further insert, also of plastics material, adapted to fit closely the interior of the tray element. For example, in some applications it is convenient to have a collector for fluids, for example used washing fluids, and the collector bowl may be in the form of a shallow bowl or tray having a shape which substantially conforms to the shape of the interior of one of the tray elements.
The tray elements may differ in depth, for example, as illustrated in the figures. Preferably at least one tray element (the principal tray element) is internally about 2 cm to 6 cm deep, preferably 3 cm to 5 cm deep, for example a depth of about 4 cm has been found very useful. The other tray elements may conveniently be less deep, for example, a second tray element may be from 1 cm to 3 cm, preferably 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm deep; and a third element just sufficiently deep to prevent articles from sliding from the tray surface, for example, about 1 cm deep.
The tray elements can be linked together in any convenient arrangement such that they can be folded up to form the container and, when open, form a substantially planar multi part tray. Conveniently they are in a linear arrangement, with one tray element at each end, and tray elements located in a linear chain between the end elements. Preferably there are three way elements, and preferably in a linear arrangement as shown in the figures.
For example, according to one construction, the tray comprises three or more rectangular tray elements. The tray elements are connected together in a linear manner, so that a first tray element forms one end of a line of tray elements; that tray element is connected to a second tray element along their common edge through hinge means; the second tray element is connected to a third tray element along the edge opposite to the first tray element, along the common edge between the second and third tray elements, also by hinge means.
When in the form of a container, the central tray element is intended to hold the contents of the container. One end tray element is folded over by the hinge means to form a cover over the central tray element, and the second end tray element is then folded also over the central tray element, and secures the first end tray element between itself and the central tray element.
As referred to above the container may have more than one enclosed volume for holding contained things. For example it may have one enclosure, such as that described above, formed between the central tray element and the first end tray element, and a second enclosure between the first end tray element and the second end tray element. The latter may be formed by having a recess in the floor of the first tray element so that, when the second tray element is folded over it, the recess in the floor of the first tray element, and the floor of the second tray element enclose or partially enclose a volume, for use as an enclosure. Alternatively, or in addition, the second tray element may be spaced away from the first tray element in the folded position, so that an enclosure is formned between the two elements. It will be apparent that other configurations of container can be adapted to similar effect
The container may be sealed by, for example, applying sealing tape about the openable edges of the container, or may be placed in a wrapper, such as a plastic bag, and sealed and/or shrink wrapped within such bag. Previously paper wrappers have been used for dressing packages and the container according to the invention could be wrapped or sealed in paper. Generally, such containers are intended for use in a sterile environment, and will be sterilised by conventional means, for example, after closing and usually after packaging in wrapping. A container according to the invention may conveniently contain items such as scissors, swabs, latex gloves, stitches, a disposable bag, syringes, needles, dressings, fluid containers, and other surgical sundries, such as surgical blades.
In use, the user will break open the packaging around the container, and open out each of the tray elements so that it lies open on the intended working surface, with the base of each tray element supported by the working surface. The user can then use each tray element for different parts of the user""s activities. For example, one tray element may be identified as for xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d materials, and a second tray element identified for xe2x80x9csoiledxe2x80x9d materials, so that the user can clearly identify which articles have already been used.
Conveniently, the contents can be arranged in the container in an order which encourages their correct use. Preferably a container having more than one enclosure is used, and when opened these enclosures will be opened in the correct sequence. For example, in one embodiment a cleaning tissue is provided so that the user cleans their hands before handling the remaining contents of the container. This tissue can be provided as the first accessible item in the first opened enclosure, such as the space between the first and second end elements described in one embodiment above. Similar items such as instructions for use, waste disposal bags and the like can be provided in this enclosure. Only after these contents have been removed is it then convenient for the user to open the second enclosure and obtain access to the next items to be used, for example sterile dressings and the like.
Containers according to the present invention are preferably made from plastics material, for example, high impact polystyrene. They may be made by any moulding means. Conveniently, however, they are made by vacuum or pressed moulding, and can be made of such design that such moulding can be relatively easily carried out. The container of the invention may also be made by injection moulding. Preferably, such containers are of an integral design in which each of the tray elements, and the hinge means are in one part (although the tray elements may have additional inserts for holding articles within the tray) Preferably, therefore, the container is made from sheet plastics material, for example relatively thin, preferably relatively uniform thickness sheet plastics material. Conveniently the thickness of the moulded plastics material in the moulded article is relatively uniform. For example, it may be made from sheet plastics material of 400 gauge to 800 gauge, preferably 600.